Itu salah saya.

That is my fault.

Breakdown of Itu salah saya.

• adalah: to be
• itu: that
• saya: my
• salah: the fault

Questions & Answers about Itu salah saya.

Do I need a verb like “is” in this sentence?

No. Malay normally drops the linking verb. Itu salah saya literally maps to That (is) my fault, and the is is understood without needing a word for it.

Can I say Itu adalah salah saya?

It’s grammatical, because salah here functions as a noun (fault). However, adalah makes the sentence sound formal or written. In everyday speech, Itu salah saya (without adalah) is more natural. Avoid using adalah before adjectives.

What exactly does itu add? When would I use ini instead?

• itu = that (refers to something mentioned earlier, further away, or as a topic pointer). It often means “that matter/situation.”
• ini = this (something immediate, just mentioned, or close). Examples:
• Referring to a past incident: Itu salah saya.
• Pointing at what just happened: Ini salah saya.

Can I drop itu and just say Salah saya?

Yes. Salah saya works like “My fault” or “My bad” and is common as a quick acknowledgement in conversation or messaging.

Is salah an adjective or a noun?

Both, depending on context.

• Adjective (“wrong/incorrect”): Jawapan itu salah (That answer is wrong).
• Noun (“fault/mistake”): salah saya (my fault).

What’s the difference between salah saya and saya salah?

• salah saya = “my fault” (focus on ownership of the mistake).
• saya salah = “I’m wrong/I was at fault” (a self-assessment). It’s fine, but to emphasize guilt/responsibility you can also hear saya bersalah (“I am guilty/at fault”) or the softer saya silap (“I made a mistake”) in Malaysia.

How do I say “It’s not my fault”?

Use bukan to negate a noun phrase:

• Itu bukan salah saya. Don’t use tidak here; tidak negates verbs/adjectives, while bukan negates nouns/pronouns.

How can I add emphasis or soften the statement?

• Emphasis:
  • Memang salah saya. (It really is my fault.)
  • Ini semua salah saya. (This is all my fault.)
  • Salah saya sepenuhnya. (Entirely my fault.)
• Softer/apologetic:
  • Maaf, salah saya.
  • Saya minta maaf, itu salah saya.

Is saya the only option? What about aku or -ku?

• saya = neutral/polite; safe in most contexts: Itu salah saya.
• aku = informal/intimate: Itu salah aku (with friends).
• -ku (enclitic “my”) = Itu salahku. In Malay it’s more literary or stylistic (also common in Indonesian). In formal Malay, saya is preferred.

How do I say “our fault” or “their fault”?

• salah kami = our fault (excluding the listener).
• salah kita = our fault (including the listener).
• salah mereka = their fault. Example: Itu salah kami/kita/mereka.

Can I use ia or dia instead of itu?

• dia = he/she (a person). Dia salah = He/She is at fault.
• ia = it/he/she in formal writing; not common in casual speech. Ia salah saya sounds formal/odd in conversation. For “that (situation),” itu is the natural choice: Itu salah saya.

What’s the difference between salah and kesalahan?

• salah can be adjective (“wrong”) or noun (“fault”).
• kesalahan is a pure noun (“mistake/offence/violation”). It can sound more formal or serious:
  • Itu kesalahan saya. (That is my mistake/offence.) Also common: kesilapan (“a mistake,” Malaysia): Itu kesilapan saya.

What about silap?

In Malaysia, silap is a near-synonym of salah, but usually feels a bit softer, like “mistaken” rather than “wrong/guilty.”

• Itu silap saya. (That’s my mistake.)
• Maaf, saya silap. (Sorry, I was mistaken.)

How do I say “Sorry, my bad” naturally?

• Maaf, salah saya.
• Maaf, itu salah saya. For a stronger apology: Saya minta maaf, itu salah saya.

How do I pronounce it?

Approximate sounds:

• Itu: EE-too (both syllables clear).
• salah: SAH-lah (both “a” as in “father”).
• saya: SAH-yah (clear “y” as in “yard”). Malay has even, steady stress—don’t overly stress one syllable.